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Armorial Bindings: Yelverton’s Magna Carta

Magna Carta(1215) stands as one of the great legal documents of the western world. Famously, the English King John was forced to accept certain liberties of his subjects and restrain his powers within the law. Although at first renounced, amended versions of it were confirmed and reconfirmed by later kings. This edition, printed by Richard Tottel, was for practising lawyers and judges, and included English statutes in law French and English.

The Law Library’s copy displays the arms of Henry Yelverton (1664-1704), 15th Baron Grey de Ruthyn and Viscount de Longueville. Yelverton’s arms feature a coronet, indicating his status as a viscount. A second stamp perhaps belongs to Sir Christopher Yelverton (1602-1654), Yelverton’s grandfather.

– Ryan Greenwood, Rare Book Fellow

“Armorial Bindings,” an exhibit curated by Ryan Greenwood, is on display from September 23 to December 18, 2013, and is located on level L2 of the Lillian Goldman Law Library, Yale Law School.